Punctuated
by kathey'ssis
Summary: Firemen are taught to expect the unexpected and keep an eye out for anything that can cause a complication in their work, but there are some things that even a seasoned rescue man can't be expected to anticipate.
1. Chapter 1

A special thank you to Jerseybelle for her wonderful services and abilities as my Beta, I'm sure those who follow my work can tell the story and chapter she took over as my main beta. There is none better, maybe a few as good, but none better.

Firemen are taught to expect the unexpected and keep an eye out for anything that can cause a complication in their work, but there are some things that even a seasoned rescue man can't be expected to anticipate.

**Punctuated**

The men of LA County Fire Station 51 were lounging around the day room late in the evening. Dinner was over and the dishes were done and put away. The lights in the front of the room were turned off to make it more enjoyable for Roy, Chet and Marco to watch the movie that was on TV, while the lights in the back of the room remained on so that Mike could read his mystery novel and Captain Stanley could study for his Chief's exam. John Gage was lounging on the sofa under the window, a lazy basset hound on his lap. The young paramedic looked to be asleep but he could have just been resting his eyes, no one knew for sure. His wrists still held the bandages from where blood was drawn from the artery to test the oxygen levels of his blood earlier that day, but at least he had finally stopped coughing.

John had every right to be asleep, if indeed he was. Hank had considered sending him to bed several times over the last hour, but the truth of the matter was that the rest of the crew needed him right where he was. Hank himself needed to be able to look over and see that he was still breathing and he'd watched Roy stand just a few feet away on several occasions watching his breathing and taking in everything there was about him to assess his health status without actually touching him. It hadn't gone unnoticed that the rest of the crew turned to look at him from time to time. They all needed to see him and know that he was right where they could get to him quickly if he showed any signs of trouble.

Hank even found himself counting the glasses of water his youngest crew member had consumed in an effort to rehydrate himself; still he was concerned by the lack of a trip to the latrine. Today had been one of those shifts from Hell for John Gage.

-0-

Their first run this morning was for a woman who had slipped on her newly polished floor. Her injuries included a probable broken arm and dislocated shoulder, for which the doctor prescribed pain meds, so one of the paramedics had to go in with her. Roy rode in with the patient and Johnny was locking up the house and preparing to follow Roy to the hospital when a girl in her mid teens came up to Johnny telling him that her grandmother wasn't feeling all that well.

Of course John called it in and carried what supplies he still had to the house next door. Roy had the biophone and the drug box with him but there were a few back up supplies and he could use the handy talkie or the person's phone to contact Rampart if needed. It was also a good thing that the police officer who was assigned to the previous call was still there. It turned out that the woman was having a heart attack and John was really hopping for a while. He really could have used some of the drugs that Roy had with him but John managed to keep the woman alive and going until the ambulance arrived. He rode in with her, leaving the squad on site. Engine 51 was dispatched to go pick it up and Captain Stanley assigned Marco to drive the squad to the hospital to pick up his two paramedics.

The talk all the way back to the station had been about the need for two drug boxes on the squad.

Their third run this shift was a relatively simple auto accident. Two cars, both still on their wheels, doors easily opened, and one person in each car, suffering only minor injuries. They took both patients to the hospital more for precaution than any real concern. Roy rode in the ambulance and John made quick work of gathering up the rest of the equipment in preparation to follow in the squad.

He had just closed up the last of the compartments on the squad when a car ran the red light at the very intersection they were in and t-boned a car with a woman driver and two kids in the back. The force of the crash put the car on its side and the offending car ended up against a power pole putting a dent in the driver's side door and knocking power lines down over the top of the car. There were three passengers in addition to the driver in that car, all of them about eighteen years of age. Fortunately the engine company was still on site to help with the accident, unfortunately the next two squads they called out to assist were out of the area and took fifteen and twenty minutes respectively to arrive.

John once again had his hands beyond full being the only paramedic to take care of all seven victims. The next squad arrived just in time to ride in with the patients that were being loaded into the two ambulances. John sent each of the newly arrived paramedics in an ambulance holding two patients each while he stayed at the accident scene taking care of the last three patients himself, using supplies from the squad that had just arrived. He had to wait until the next two ambulances and the last of the squads got there.

Marco and Chet each drove a squad to the hospital. There wasn't room for both of them to ride back to the station in the squad so the engine followed them to the hospital to pick up the two linemen and take them back to the station.

John and Roy did some serious restocking of supplies while they were there.

The two paramedics were late for lunch and only managed to eat half of their meal before they were called out again. John made a point to be the one riding in with the patients for the next several runs and all seemed to go much more normally. Still, they were busy.

There was the call just before dinner. It was to an apartment complex that catered to retired people. One of the residents had been ill for several days and a neighbor finally called for help; the patient was so dehydrated from a fever and not eating or even drinking well that she was delusional. She thought Roy was her daughter and became agitated when she thought Roy wasn't going to stay with her so of course John helped his partner into the back of the ambulance with a smirk.

"Now you be sure to take good care of your mother there, Agnes." John and Roy exchanged smiles as John shut the ambulance door and gave the double slaps to let the driver know it was good to go.

John was actually pulling out of the parking lot of the complex when he noticed smoke coming from around the building. Instead of turning left to follow the ambulance, John turned right to get a better look and saw the drapes at two of the apartments in active flames. John called it in, pulled on his turn out coat and air mask and proceeded to evacuate the area on his own until help arrived.

There were thirty eight apartments in that wing of the complex, and in one of the two apartments that were actively burning they were throwing a party with eight guests, all of them old people that had a hard time moving without help. John managed to herd twenty three people out of the building before the first fire engine arrived. By the time help arrived John was left with the residents that needed more help to get out. Even then, he was pretty well able to walk the residents out, usually two at a time to the nearest exit and hand them off to either a police officer or another firemen before turning back to get someone else. Even though he had his air tank on, his mask spent more time on the faces of those he was helping than on his own.

Engine 51 pulled in behind the squad. It was the second engine on site and the two linemen were already pulling hose while Mike jumped in to get the water flowing and the engine hooked up to the hydrant. While his crew was jumping into action and following his commands, Hank stepped over to two victims that were lying still on the lawn next to the curb. The rest of those who had been evacuated were mulling about and talking to each other. The staff from the doctor's office across the street was starting to move in to offer their assistance.

Hank checked long and hard but there was no pulse or sign of life in either of the two that were not moving. The doctor from across the street moved in to confirm his findings while Hank made his way to the engine to retrieve a couple of blankets to cover the victims.

As he moved about, Hank kept his eyes out on his men and was looking hard for Johnny. The fire was mostly under control when he saw him for the first time.

John was being walked out between two other firemen; one of the firemen at his side was holding his air mask over John's face. It was no surprise when he announced the John's tank was empty as he eased John down onto the bumper of the engine.

Mike was quickly at his side with the oxygen from the engine and John readily accepted the oxygen mask pulling it to his face. He had been coughing too hard to say anything and he had obviously spent way too long inside that burning building for his own good. John's uniform was completely saturated with sweat when they helped him out of his turnout gear.

"How long were you in there, John?" Hank asked as he sat next to his crewman and supported him in a sitting position.

John pulled the mask away from his face and got out, "Never…left," before replacing it and taking several deep breaths of fresh pure oxygen. "Too many people in there; some of them had oxygen tanks that had to be turned off before I could lead them out. All of them needed help. For the longest time the only people out here were cops and other bystanders that didn't have the gear. I was able to get one of the police officers to bring a replacement air tank to the door for me at one point and I just kept helping people out, then one of the oxygen tanks blew and I got trapped in the stair well with three other people. We passed my mask around while the door was being pried open. The alarm on the tank went off just as the guys got us out of there. Not sure I'm going to be able to go back in for a few minutes."

"As far as I'm concerned, John, you can take the rest of the fire off," Hank assured his paramedic.

For the next several minutes fluids were provided to John as he was repeatedly pushed back into a seated position on the fire engine where he could be kept an eye on. With three doctors and all of their nurses and assistants on hand treating most of the victims John wasn't needed as much as he was needing help.

John was placed in the cab of the next ambulance headed for Rampart and found his partner had been put to work helping with all of the victims, "Well, hello, Agnes," John greeted his partner who looked all clean and pressed to his sweat soaked and smoke permeated self. "How's your mother doing?" Johnny followed his jibe with a round of coughing and Roy just pulled John's arm around his shoulder and guided him to a treatment room.

It was a good hour before Hank sent Chet in with the squad to pick up his paramedics. In that time he had heard more than a few stories about John's heroics.

As they were all resting in the day room prior to turning in for the night, Hank's thoughts turned to the paperwork he had filled out before his paramedics returned from the hospital. John was being nominated for more than one of those above and beyond commendations after today's shift.

Another thing John didn't know was that, while he was showering upon return to the station, Cap had pulled Roy into the office. John had been given a couple of breathing treatments to help with all the smoke he took in and checked over good before he had been allowed to finish his shift.

After Roy had given Cap a full report of what the doctors had done and said, Roy was given the command to see to it that John was not left alone at a scene for the rest of the shift.

"I'm not saying he's doing anything wrong or that I put any stock in horoscopes or anything like that, but one thing is clear, some kind of forces somewhere seem to have it in for John this shift."

"I'm afraid I have to agree with you, Cap. When I saw him being brought into the hospital, there I was in my clean and orderly uniform and he looked like he had been drug through the mire. I mean I helped with all the patients that were brought into the hospital, but it was nothing compared to what Johnny had been through. I almost feel like I've been gold bricking this shift."

"I know what you mean," Hank acknowledged his paramedic's feelings. "But I assure you no one here thinks you've been shirking your partner, it just hasn't been his day."

"You can say that again."

-0-

The movie was nearing its end when Cap checked the time on his watch and walked over to John. Placing a fatherly hand on John's shoulder and giving it a little shake, Cap suggested he go get ready for bed. It took John a minute to get up but when he did he was moving well and made his way to the locker room. Hank followed behind a couple of minutes later and was glad to hear the toilet flush.

"All those fluids you've been drinking finely going through you?" Cap questioned and Johnny realized even more how much his captain had been watching him.

"Yeah," Johnny answered, his captain had been handing him a glass of something else to drink the second he finished the previous one all night long, water, juice, soda, water, water, and more water. John knew he needed it but there was a point where he felt that if he took one more sip he was going to throw up. As much as he appreciated his captain's concern and position of responsibility for him, John wasn't about to let him know that his urine was still dark enough to indicate he needed to keep up on his hydration activities.

John had just sat down on his bunk wearing nothing more than a t-shirt and his boxers when the tones went off.

**Station 51, assist police at . . . **

Everybody sprang into action as the address was given to an area on the outskirts of their response area. While Roy drove, John was, as usual, an excellent navigator pointing out the fastest way to get where they were needed. As John talked to Roy of when and where to turn, he pulled the bandages off his wrists. It had been long enough and they were starting to annoy him.

They pulled up and stopped in a pull out area alongside the road that accommodated several police cars and the fire department trucks. Hank jumped down from his seat in the engine and the two paramedics quickly exited the squad, meeting the police officer in charge of the scene for instructions.

"What have we got here?" Hank asked, needing to know what kind of orders to give to his men.

"Thanks for coming," the police officer started out as he led the three firemen closer to their trucks before explaining.

"We have a missing ten year old boy. The thing of it is, we're finding out that he's been missing for close to two days now. It was a neighbor who called it in to us, not the parents. The parents wanted to take care of it themselves without bringing us in. In asking questions some of the neighbors have said that the step father has a tendency to knock the kid around a little. One of my men is bringing one of the boy's friends here now. We're told that the boy is hiding out somewhere near here to get away from his parents. I thought we should have the paramedics on hand when we find him."

Hank lowered his head and shook it in disgust for just a second before turning to his paramedics. "Alright, get your gear ready."

John and Roy started pulling the supplies they thought they would need from the compartments of the squad as a police car pulled up next to them and a boy and his father were let out of the back seat.

"That boy is responsible for all of this," a man on the other side of the gathered crowd started screaming. The boy quickly took up a position behind his father while police officers contained the screaming man. "My son has been told to stay away from him," the man continued to yell.

As the yelling man was pulled to the other side of the command vehicle the boy continued to hold tight to his father's side.

"Can you show us where you think your friend is hiding, son?" one of the police officers questioned. The boy shook his head negatively then buried his face in his father's back.

The father knelt down to face his son and spoke with him quietly as another man walked up with his hands in his coat pockets. The father looked up and let out a huge sigh of relief. "Thanks for coming, Dad."

With that greeting the police officer turned to address the man who had just walked up. "Captain Wells, I'm sorry, I didn't recognize you out of uniform."

"That's okay, man, I'm just a civilian here anyway; that young man there is my grandson." The off duty police captain made his involvement clear. "I wonder if you would allow me to have a private word with him."

The police officer simply nodded his head in approval and Captain Stanley wondered if that was something he should have done. Father, son and grandfather walked to the back of the fire engine and whatever was said was completely drowned out by the sound of the engine.

Darkness had long fallen and concern for the missing boy, who they now knew was going into his second night away from home, increased. There was the added suspicion that he was hurt which was why the fire department with a paramedic crew was on hand.

It was only a few minutes later when the grandfather returned to the police officer's side. The sergeant in charge of the operation joined them. "What seems to be the problem here?"

"The boy doesn't seem to be willing to tell us where his friend may be hiding," the police officer informed his superior.

"It's not us he's worried about," Captain Wells said making his presence known to the ranking officer.

"I'm sorry, Captain Wells; I didn't recognize you without your uniform."

"That's alright. As I told this young man earlier, I'm a civilian here; your informant is my grandson." Captain Wells then carried on. "He's willing to show us where he thinks the boy's hiding but he doesn't want to show the step father. He's afraid that if he does that his friend will no longer have a place to go to get away from the man when he's beating him. Is there by any chance enough reason to keep the man here while we go looking? That place is about half a mile from here and can only be gotten to by foot."

"I think we have more than enough grounds to hold him here while the search party goes after him."

"Alright, men." Captain Stanley had heard enough to know he needed to make some commands. "We better get a Stokes and some high powered flashlights."

Before the police officers were gathered to follow the lead of the boy, his father and grandfather at his side, the crew of Station 51 was carrying the equipment they thought they would need.

It was a short hike by everyone's standards, down a gully washed out by a flash flood a few years previous. The area had been destined for a housing subdivision before the flash flood but afterwards it was deemed unsafe for such use. The boy stopped at a concrete pipe that was sticking out of the side of the wash. The firemen knew at first glance that it was what was left of a sewer system but they were all comforted by the knowledge that this one had never been used.

"There's a cement cave like thing at the end of that pipe. It's too small for his step dad to get in after him so he's safe there. He has his sleeping bag and some food stored in there."

The boy then knelt down and yelled into the pipe, "Ryan! I brought the police and firemen. My grandpa's here too and we just want to make sure you're okay."

The older man knelt down next to his grandson and called into the pipe. "We just need to see you and see if you're hurt, son. No one out here is going to hurt you. Can you come on out?"

There was a sound that came back through the pipe but no one could understand what was being said.

"Sounds like he's in there alright," the man reported to those gathered behind him. "I didn't understand what he was trying to say but it doesn't sound like he's coming out."

With that statement the police turned to the fire department personnel who had joined them, and the crew of Station 51 was looking at John Gage.

From what the boy said I'm betting there's a manhole cover up on top of here, but it looks like it might be covered up some. "John, do you think you can fit through that pipe?"

"Yeah, Cap, I'll fit." John removed his turn out coat to take some of the bulk out. In his t-shirt, bunker pants and boots John looked in with a flash light to evaluate the area before crawling in. "It only looks to be about ten to twelve feet back there, Cap. I can make it." With that John got down on his belly and began to scoot into the pipe holding a high powered flashlight ahead of him. He had just made it in as far as his knees when Cap had other orders to give out.

"Alright, Chet, Marco, Mike, you three go up top here and see if you can find that man hole cover. John says it's about ten feet back and it just might be the best way to get the boy out of there. The three men took a few minutes with flashlights to determine the best way out of the wash before they took the two shovels they had brought with them and headed out to follow orders. Mike took along a Handy Talkie and three police officers joined them to offer their assistance.

Hank remained crouched near the open end of the pipe shining a flashlight so that he could not only watch John's progress but hopefully light his way since things were tight enough that he had to push his flashlight ahead of him and then pull himself up to it.

From Hank's vantage point it looked like John had just reached the larger chamber, "ARGGG" was heard echoing back down the pipe and John was seen ducking back into the pipe.

"John, John, Are you all right?" Cap questioned and then listened for an answer. The only response was what sounded like heavy breathing. "Gage, are you all right in there?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Hank was just ducking his head inside the pipe trying to determine if he would fit and could go after his man when John started talking to him.

"Cap, the kid's in there. He's perched on a ladder leading to the manhole cover that's on the right of the chamber. It's going to be the best way to get him out there. You better send Roy up there; it looks like he's hurt."

Hank pulled back and using the handy talkie relayed the information to the group on the top of the hill before sending Roy up to help them out. He then turned his attention back to John who wasn't moving as fast as he thought he should be nor did he understand why John didn't just go to the boy's aid through the tunnel.

Shining the flashlight in on John it became evident that he was having trouble moving which Cap equated to him being hurt. Hank managed to crawl into the end of the pipe enough to get a hold of John's boots and started to pull him toward the opening.

"No! Cap, don't, please stop," Johnny called back but Hank kept a steady pull on the boots in his hand.

=0=

The last thing John needed was to be drug out by his heels at this point but it was apparent that his captain just wasn't listening. He did the only thing he could and pointed his toes so that his boots would come off. His captain didn't sound too happy when he had boots in his hands and no paramedic.

"Let me do it myself, Cap, or you'll do more damage," John called back and then carefully tried to move backwards. Within seconds it became obvious that any attempt to move one shoulder was just going to make things worse and there was no real way for him to crawl backward without using the shoulder at least some. As he paused to think his situation through he felt his captain's hands on his stocking covered feet once again.

"Just a second, Cap, let me roll over on my side." John instructed and even though there was no pulling on his feet his captain didn't let go of them either. Slowly and carefully John collapsed his left arm and allowed himself to roll onto his left side then carefully holding his right arm and hugging against the wall of the pipe at his back John called out. "Okay, Cap, pull me out of here."

Hank reached in a little farther and took a hold of John's calves and began to pull. With the help of one of the police officers and the man answering to grandpa, each pulling on one of his legs, Hank was soon out of the pipe and John's legs were in clear view. One more good pull and he was able to take a hold of John's belt and pull from there. When John was completely extricated from the pipe he was holding his right arm with his left and when Hank reached for his shoulder to help him sit up a little John let out a panicked cry.

"Don't touch!"

Flashlights were shown in John's directions causing him to hold his left hand up to shield his eyes as Captain Stanley picked up his flashlight that was on the ground at John's side and shone it on his right shoulder.

Protruding through his t-shirt were spikes, or were they spears? Several of them, more than he could count in a single glance, about half as big around as a pencil and looking to be five to six inches long.

"What did that kid hit you with?" Cap questioned as he was stopped once again from touching them as John grabbed his hand and held it away.

"It wasn't the kid," John answered as he once again took hold of his right elbow with his left hand and, using his stomach muscles, sat up. "That opening to what appears to be a large septic tank, unused I might add, is guarded by a bunch of porcupines."

"Porcupines?" Cap echoed as he shone his flashlight back at John's shoulder for a better look. He had never seen porcupine quills anywhere other than in pictures but what he was seeing did indeed look like what had been pictures.

"Engine 51 this is HT 51," Mike Stoker's voice was heard over the radio at Cap's side. "We've got the kid, he's been pretty worked over, be advised we can see three large rodent type animals in the bottom of this tank. It doesn't smell like skunks from where I'm at, but they are about that size."

"According to John they're porcupines, and he's got a shoulder full of quills to prove it," Cap enlightened his engineer. "Ask DeSoto what I need to do for him."

"You just need to take a hold of them with a pair of pliers and pull them out," John instructed.

"Cap," Roy's voice was heard over the hand held radio, "just get a set of vitals on him and we'll be there in just a minute."

"10-4," Cap responded to the radio before turning to the drug box still in the Stokes stretcher, to pull out a blood pressure cuff and stethoscope.

"We don't happen to have a pair of pliers with us at the moment so what do you say we follow Roy's suggestion."

John nodded his head in agreement and one of the police officers carefully knelt down behind him and allowed John to rest back against his chest as Captain Stanley went to work to gather a set of vitals.

By the time he had finished gathering John's vitals the rest of his crew were walking up to join them. Roy had the boy in question on his back, he was wearing Roy's helmet and holding on around his neck with Roy holding on to his legs. Chet and Mike each had a hold of one of Roy's arms to steady him as he slid down the side of the wash. Chet was doing what he was doing best and telling some exaggerated tale in an effort to distract the boy as they walked.

As Mike and Chet helped the boy slide off of Roy's back, Cap walked over to Roy and handed him both the blood pressure cuff and stethoscope and the notebook with John's recorded vitals on it. Roy gave it a quick glance and then looked over at his partner.

"These look good, but partner this just hasn't been your shift has it?" Roy commented with more of a smirk and a shake of his head. Captain Stanley was relieved by his apparent lack of immediate concern.

"Cap, could you get Rampart on the line," Roy asked as he very carefully took the young boy in his charge by the arms and led him toward the Stokes to help him lay down on his stomach. "Tell them what you have on Johnny and then hand me the hand set."

Mike and Marco quickly removed the boxes from the Stokes while Chet opened a blanket and set it down before Roy placed the boy in the basket, he then opened another one but left it folded for the boy to use as a pillow. From several feet away Cap could see the bloody stripes on the back of the boy's t-shirt and arms as well as the bruising on his face. It was apparent in the way he walked that his legs must have taken a beating as well.

"Rampart, this is Station 51, how do you read?" Hank started filling his assignment as Roy carefully cut the shirt away from the boys back to get a better look. With Roy squatting next to the boy, Hank couldn't see how much damage was done first hand but the look on his crew member's and the accompanying police officer's faces told him more than he wanted to know. "Rampart, this is Squad 5-1 do you read?"

"Unit calling in please identify," Hank heard the voice of Dr. Morton come across the biophone. For just a moment Hank thought of John's particular dislike to being treated by this particular doctor and shook his head with a smirk before he proceeded to give his information. "Rampart, this is Squad 51, we have two victims here, one is a ten year old male assault victim, Roy's working on him now. The other is a code I and has come in contact with a porcupine; he has several of the quills imbedded in his right shoulder."

"Squad 51 would you say that again?" came the puzzled and totally disbelieving tone of Dr. Morton's voice over the biophone. This time John smirked with a sense of the humor at hand.

"I repeat, Rampart, he has been attacked by a porcupine and has several quills imbedded in and around his right shoulder." Hank then proceeded to give the vitals he had recorded before adding the vitals Roy was calling out on his patient. Roy then took the handset and while giving Johnny a sympathetic glance he proceeded to detail the boy's injuries while making a point to let the doctor know he was in a lot of pain.

Once Dr. Morton was assured the boy was in protective custody he ordered an IV with pain medications before adding, "Stand by on your porcupine patient, I'm going to have to get a consult on that one. Just give me a minute."

While Roy started an IV on the boy promising that he'd feel a lot better real soon, Mike took the police officer's place behind John.

"How many of those things attacked you?" Mike questioned as he tried the count the number of quills in John's shoulder, he had reached twenty six and was still counting and that was just the big ones. There appeared to be several smaller ones about the size of cactus needles around the area where the bigger ones were imbedded in his upper chest and shoulder area.

"Just one, Mike," Johnny gowned. "I suspect that one of them is a female and the other two are competing for her affections."

"So are you trying to tell us you were attacked by a jealous boyfriend?" Chet popped off in his obvious attempt to hide his concern.

"Something like that," John actually liked his nemesis's explanation of the events at hand.

"So how far away were you when that thing threw his spines at you?" Marco questioned. There was an air of humor at the situation and John definitely didn't seem worried or even in real serious pain, at least as long as no one looked like they might touch one of the objects in his chest.

"They don't throw their quills, Marco. That's a myth," John spoke, welcoming the distraction. "I heard something moving when I reached the end of the pipe but I just thought it was the kid, I mean I haven't seen a porcupine in the wild since I was a kid and that was back in Montana. Who thinks of looking for them in the city? When I stuck my head into the chamber area I startled one of them and he slapped my shoulder with his tail. The quills are designed to let go from their body as soon as they hit something. Unfortunately for me, they have a little barb on the other end and they won't come out of my shoulder quite as easily."

"Yeah I've heard that," Marco sympathized.

"You mean they're like a fish hook, how do you get them out again, I mean with a fish hook the best things to do is to push it through and cut the barb off." Mike questioned what lay ahead of his friend who was resting against his chest. He didn't like the mental image that was forming in his mind, a fish hook was curved and pushing it back through the skin was no real hardship but these quill things were straight and pushing ment they would go straight. Now Mike wasn't a paramedic but he knew more than enough anatomy to know that below the little spears imbedded in John's shoulder and upper chest lay all the bones that make up his shoulder, his lungs and as Mike looked hard he was sure one of those pokey things was in the vicinity of John's heart.

"Nah, Mike they're not as bad as a fish hook, it will smart a little but you just pull them out, the trick is to pull straight." Johnny continued to talk casually. It was very clear to all of those around him that he wasn't looking forward to the ordeal ahead of him but he wasn't really worried about it either.

"You sound like you've dealt with these things before," the police officer that was answering to grandpa responded to all the chatter among the firemen.

"Back when I was a kid we used to treat a dead one on the road side as a real treasure. We'd put gloves on and use a pair of pliers to pull out all of the quills we could get; you can make some really neat stuff with them. I've also helped pull quite a few quills out of the nose of several different dogs in my time and even a few out of the leg of one of our horses once.

"Some people eat them and say they taste quite good, but my dad didn't care for it so my mom never cooked 'em."

-0-

Meanwhile, back at Rampart Mike Morton was looking through the library of reference materials kept at the nurse's station next to the communications booth. "Carol, do you know what happened to the reference book that covered injuries caused by animals?"

Carol thought for a minute. "Oh yes, Dr. Thornwall borrowed it last week, he's preparing a speech and needed to look up some things."

"Make a note to get it back as soon as possible and would you please get the copy out of Dr. Brackett's office. I need it right now." Dr. Morton was just a little annoyed that the information he needed wasn't available to him. While he waited for the nurse to bring him the book he requested Dr. Morton returned to the communications booth.

-0-

"Squad 51, this is Rampart, do you read?" was heard as Roy eased the boy into the Stokes and helped him to find a comfortable position on his stomach before tucking the bag of IV fluid under his shoulder so that the weight of his body would keep the drip flowing. Since Roy was busy with the boy Captain Stanley picked up the handset to the biophone and acknowledged the call from Rampart.

"This is Squad 51, go ahead Rampart."

"Squad 51, I'm still trying to get some information on the treatment for porcupine quills. Is the patient still stable?"

"That's affirmative, Rampart," Cap answered giving Johnny a glance and smiling at how he was interacting and entertaining his fellow crewmates and several of the police officers around him. "As long as no one comes near the quills in his shoulder he's doing just fine."

"In that case, let's just transport him as soon as possible and in the mean time let's start and IV with normal saline and run it TKO."

John, hearing the orders concerning his treatment, rolled his eyes and reached his good hand toward his captain. "Hand me that biophone."

"Now look here, Gage," Captain Stanley was using his command voice, "if the doctor says you need an IV then you're going to get one."

"But, Cap," John challenged his commanding officer, "I've still got to walk out of here, there's only one Stokes and the kid there needs it a whole lot more than I do. Dr. Morton said himself he doesn't know what to do with me; he's just going overboard on the cautious side like always."

"There's nothing wrong with being cautious."

"But there is no reason an IV can't wait till we get out of here," John persisted, still holding his hand out for the handset to the biophone.

"Roy will start the IV here and we'll just have someone walk along side of you and hold the bag up while we're walking. It's not that far back to the parking area; we'll be just fine."

John rolled his eyes and leaned back into Mike's chest once again. Mike was laughing and shaking his head and so were Marco and Chet who were still at his side. John gave a glance to Roy who had his back to him and he could tell by the shaking of his shoulders that he was laughing too.

"This is ridiculous," John muttered under his breath.

Back at Rampart, Carol arrived at the nurse's station with the requested book in her hands, a still mostly asleep Dr. Brackett walking a few steps behind her."

"I thought you were off shift hours ago, Kell," Dr. Morton addressed his associate as he took the book from Carol.

"I've got a touchy one in CCU. I decided to camp out here for the night. What have you got?"

Mike opened the book and looked at the table of contents as Kell Brackett stepped closer to the desk. "A fireman tangled with a porcupine while they were on a run, do you by any chance know if there is any toxicology involved in porcupine needles?"

Kell stood silently stunned leaning on the other side of the nurse's desk to finish waking up. "Did you say porcupine? How on earth did they manage to tangle with a porcupine and who is it?"

"From what I've been able to gather by piecing together information from the scanner and what I've been told by the paramedics, they went into some kind of a cave to retrieve a child abuse victim and found the place guarded." Dr. Morton talked jokingly as he turned the pages in his book. "As far as who, I've not gotten an identification on the victim, but it's squad 51 and when Roy's not been on the biophone, their captain has been."

"If there is anything out of the ordinary, leave it to John Gage to get into trouble with it." Kell dropped his head and shook it side to side.

"Well, the good news is," Dr. Morton talked as he read the information I finally found, "there is no toxicity in the needles. It says here they're made up of the same substance as fingernails." Then he paused and a stunned expression came over his face. "Ah oh!" Dr. Morton then rushed into the communications room and Dr. Brackett followed on his heels.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Roy gave Chet a nod that he understood he was to sit with the boy and keep him distracted. He carefully tucked a warm blanket around the boy's shoulders before gathering what he needed to start the unwanted IV on Johnny.

Moving over to his partner's side Roy was able to give him a sympathetic but still humored smile as he allowed Johnny to talk him into starting the IV in his right arm. Johnny figured he already needed to keep it still why not use it.

Even though Johnny was still slightly dehydrated from his time in the flames of the retirement center fire, Roy was able to start the IV quickly and instead of running the drip at a low TKO rate Roy set it just a little faster.

While the IV was being taped down Cap and Marco helped him to slip back into his boots and once the IV bag was handed to Marco, Cap slipped his arm around John's waist (quills in the shoulder, remember) and with Mike's help pulled the walking wounded paramedic to his feet.

"You're going to be alright there, Gage," Cap said as he eyed his paramedic over. Knowing that the situation was undeniably minor made the atmosphere downright jovial.

Everyone there picked up something to carry back to the vehicles. Roy had placed as much of the equipment as he could on the Stokes by the boy's feet. Several of the firemen and police officers stepped up around the Stokes preparing to lift and carry the young boy who was now lightly sleeping due to the pain meds he had been given. Roy checked his pulse and breathing one more time before informing Rampart that all was stable and they would be off the air while they transported the patients out of the gully and to the ambulance.

Cap picked up John's turn out coat and draped it over one arm as he reached down and took hold of one corner of the Stokes. Marco stayed at John's side, carrying his bag of IV fluid high to keep it flowing and every time he and John made eye contact they would end up laughing. Two police officers were ordered to remain on site until Animal Control arrived to deal with the porcupines.

Those watching John as he walked could tell that he felt a pinch from time to time as he moved but all in all he didn't look too bad. This was going to be another one of those unbelievable stories to share at the firemen's picnic. Hank could see it now, half of the firemen saying they heard something about that and the other half totally disbelieving it until John takes off his shirt and shows them his scars.

Hank found himself snickering under his breath and shaking his head as he walked along helping to carry the Stokes containing their original patient.

Hank's mind turned more fully onto the boy now. He had heard the off duty police captain talking to his grandson while they waited for the boy to be pulled through the manhole cover. The young boy who had led them to his friend's hiding spot was very worried that by doing so his friend would no longer have a place to go to get away from the beatings that were nearly a daily happening. Hank recognized the look on the police captain's face. Like him, he wanted to promise that the boy would be protected and that things would be done to make sure he was never beaten again, but they both had seen the courts put children beaten just as bad right back in the home where they were abused. The only promise they could give was that they would do everything in their power to keep the boy safe, and Hank intended to add his efforts to that promise.

-0-

"Squad 51, come in." Dr. Mike Morton was speaking into the microphone with urgency. "Squad 51, this is Rampart, are you reading me?"

"Dr. Morton, they signed off." Nurse Atherton reported, "They have a bit of hike out of some kind of a canyon before they can get to the ambulance. They said they'd check in when they got there in about fifteen minutes or if there was a change in the condition of either patient."

"What is it, Mike?" Dr. Bracket questioned. He knew by the look on Mike's face that there was something in the open book in his hands that was alarming. "What does it say in the book that has you spooked?"

Mike looked over at his boss, feeling a little ashamed of himself for not seeing the seriousness of the situation earlier. He set the opened book down on the table next to the radio console and placed his finger on the words that screamed urgent. _**(Body heat makes the barbs expand and they become even more deeply embedded in the animal's skin. If an animal is hit in a vital place it may die.)**_

"Where did you say Johnny got hit with these barb things?" Kell Brackett got the picture quickly after reading the words at Dr. Morton's fingers.

"His right shoulder and upper chest area."

"And they said they'd be off radio for how long?" Dr. Brackett turned to the nurse.

"Approximately fifteen minutes." The nurse confirmed.

Kell Brackett quickly picked up the main phone and dialed the hospital switch board. "This is Dr. Brackett, connect me with fire dispatch immediately."

-0-

The rescue crew consisting of Station 51 as well as eight police officers, one young boy, his father and his off duty police captain grandfather, were making a steady pace in their efforts to return to their trucks and what was sure to be a waiting ambulance. There was no hurry in the least; both of their patients were in stable condition and if anything there was an effort to keep the pace steady to keep from waking the boy with their movement.

"Engine 51, LA." The handy talkie in Hank's pocket as well as the one hooked to Mike's belt sounded off. A police officer stepped up to take Hank's position at the side of the Stokes as Hank stepped to the side and signaled the men to continue as he pulled the radio from his pocket and acknowledged the call.

"LA this is Engine 51, we read you loud and clear."

"Rampart is requesting an update on your porcupine patient. They would also like you to reestablish contact through your biophone."

All eyes shot to John Gage who had been walking steadily with Marco at his side. Holding his hand above his head as he carried the IV bag was a strain so he traded hands regularly and Johnny felt bad for his inconvenience but his captain had made it clear he had no say in the matter.

All the eyes focused on John were full of concern but John was clearly just annoyed as he rolled his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh.

"10-4, LA, we're reestablishing contact with the hospital as we speak."

The Stokes was carefully set on the ground and their patient's friend sat down next to it to stay close by. Roy made short work of pulling the biophone open and installing the antenna.

"Rampart, this is Rescue 51," Roy stated.

"51, what is the current condition of your patient with the porcupine quills in his shoulder?" Dr. Brackett's voice came before Roy could add the customary, 'how do you read.'

"He's doing well, Rampart, he has good color and is able to walk himself out with no complaints so far." Roy turned a questioning look at his partner who had remained standing because the act of sitting down and standing up again pulled at the muscles that were currently perforated.

"We have information," Dr. Brackett's voice came over the biophone. " Porcupine barbs expand under the influence of body heat, drawing them deeper into the skin. Are there any vital organs that may be affected in your patient if this were to happen? I mean are the barbs anywhere other than just muscle areas?"

All of the eyes looking over John Gage widened with the news that had been given. Johnny himself swallowed hard and dropped his eyes to his own chest.

"That's affirmative, Rampart," Roy responded after swallowing hard himself. "The projectiles are imbedded in the area of his right shoulder and down the upper third of his chest in the area of his upper right lung. Right now, with the current lighting, there are too many to count."

Roy could hear the blowing out of a deep breath over the radio and could feel the tension mounting.

"51, do you have ice available to you?"

"Not at the moment, we're still walking out."

With that the police captain who had up till now insisted that he was just a by stander, started barking out order. "Hernandez, radio ahead, have a patrol car go to the nearest source for ice and bring some back to the command station. Tell them to roll Code 3."

"Efforts are underway to have ice available as soon as we're back to our vehicles," Roy responded to the orders that had been given.

"How long before you're with the ambulance?"

"Approximately five to ten minutes."

"What is your ETA once you reach an ambulance?"

"We're about thirty minutes out, Doc," Roy reported as he shared eye contact with his captain. This whole 'hit by a porcupine' situation was no longer funny.

"Alright then," Brackett took another short pause to think. "Monitor his breathing carefully from here on out. As soon as you get the ice, pack it around the area of the foreign objects but try not to touch them with the ice. You're trying to lower the body heat in that area, try not to get him so cold that he starts shivering, that can foreseeably cause the barbs to go deeper as well. Put him on oxygen, ten liters per minute and get here as fast as you safely can. Call in if there are any changes, I don't care how slight they are."

As Roy was repeating the orders and adding a 10-4, Cap stepped up to John's side and took a hold of his upper left arm with one hand and reached around to take a hold of his belt on the left with his other hand. Mike stepped up and took the IV bag from Marco and six men including Roy, Marco and Chet pulled the Stokes containing their other patient off the ground and they started out once again. There was a new haste to their movements but they still took care to keep the pace even for their sleeping patient.

The remaining distance to the parking area was made in just under five minutes. The ambulance attendants, seeing the group coming, pulled the gurney out of the back of the ambulance and were surprised when the Stokes was carried past it and placed on the bench in the back of the ambulance.

A canteen had been provided for all those involved in the search for the boy so Ice was on hand and had been bagged for use in the time since the radioed request had been made. Two policemen carried the bags as far as the ambulance gurney and waited as John was quickly laid down and rolled up on his left side just enough to place one bag of ice behind his shoulder before the other one was placed on the left side of his chest but still away from the protruding barbs. Without further adieu the gurney was lifted into the back of the ambulance and before Roy had the oxygen mask on his partner's face a police officer climbed in to supervise the other patient's transfer and the doors were shut and the ready to go slaps were applied to both sides of the ambulance.

Four firemen stood watching the ambulance drive away. Their last glimpses through the back windows were of Roy holding a stethoscope to the chest of their friend as the ambulance pulled away as it proceeded down the road and out of sight.

Author's notes: There are some of my readers who would have me do nothing but 'Critter Stories'. Since they are so well received I tend to wonder through the internet researching different critters in search of a story. When I read that Porcupine quills expand when in contact with body heat and work their way deeper I knew I had a story. All else I found interesting in my research is included in the story. I hope you readers can enjoy. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Roy was listening intently to every sound that was coming back through the stethoscope in his ears. After moving the bell several times to different locations on Johnny's chest he asked, "Can you take a deep breath for me?"

"I'd rather not." Johnny let out the small breath he was holding.

"Does it hurt to breathe?"

"A little," Johnny nervously admitted. "How do things sound?"

"Things are a little quiet on the right but it could be because you're in pain. I don't dare get too close to the pointy things poking into your chest. Nothing too alarming. Yet."

John let out another sigh and was sure he felt the barbs shifting in his chest, holding still seemed like the right thing to do but how do you not breathe?

In the light that was available in the back of the ambulance Roy was able to get a much better look at the spikes in his partners shoulder. He knew his partner had to remove his turn out coat to be able to crawl in that pipe but if he had been wearing it he was sure it would have probably prevented the spikes from entering his shoulder and chest area. The t-shirt was no protection at all. Roy counted thirty spikes before he needed to look away for a second and then lost his place. The main concern was the dimpling around each spike. There was obviously a pull inward, and Roy just hoped and prayed that the progression was slow and that the ice would help and that they would be at Rampart quickly.

"Just hang in there; we'll get you to the hospital as soon as we can."

Roy reported what he was seeing and hearing through the stethoscope back to the hospital and was told they would be ready for him when he got there.

Little did Roy know that meant a surgical unit was being set up and the doctors were ready to have John out in less than sixty seconds after he arrived.

"I guess you never dealt with anything like this back in Montana." Roy made small talk trying to help his partner relax.

"NO, no nothing like this." Johnny shook his head, "Those things are so small you never had to worry about getting the quills more than knee high, trust me to be on all fours when I met up with one here in California."

Then Johnny made an effort to take the attention off himself. "How's the kid?"

Roy took a minute to check the boy's pulse and tucked the blanket in around him a little snugger.

"The pain meds Dr. Morton ordered have really knocked him out." Roy took a minute to double check his breathing before turning back to Johnny and talking softly, his words meant for Johnny's ears only. "He's pretty beat up. That SOB really did a number on him. Nothing life threatening but he's covered with welts and bruises, there's at least a dozen lacerations that will likely need a stitch or two. I think he was totally exhausted and hasn't slept well in some time. Once we took care of his pain he was able to catch up on his sleep."

"He had a lot of potato chips and peanut butter and bread in that hideout of his. That must have been what attracted the porcupines. He also had a bunch of plant material gathered and piled under his sleeping bag. I think it was skunkweed, the same plants the critters eat in the wild." Johnny talked as he watched the boy sleeping peacefully on the bench next to him. "Other than setting up a situation where the place was inviting to all the animal friends around the kid had himself a nice little shelter there."

John tried not to complain as they rode along but Roy could tell he was uncomfortable. The ice was starting to make him shiver so Roy removed the bag that was on his chest. And continued to watch his partner's breathing very carefully. He managed to listen to his chest with the stethoscope at least three times in the first ten minutes of the ride.

"You're still sounding good, I don't hear any changes in the breath sounds," Roy reported and Johnny gave a sigh of relief. He was just about to chalk this all up to the over paranoid Dr. Morton.

It wasn't more than just a few minutes later that the small breaths Johnny had been taking weren't enough and he gave in and took a slightly deeper breath, he was sensing the shifting of the quills before but with the deeper breath it was undeniable and he started to panic.

"Roy, you've got to pull these things out of me." Johnny tried to sit up. "Just pull them out now!"

"John, calm down." Roy took John by the shoulders and bumping two or more of the barbs in his upper arm area in the process as he pushed John back against the gurney. "Think about what you're asking me to do. You know as well as I do that it can cause more problems. If I pull those things out and they've left a hole in the plural wall you could get a pneumothorax or worse. Johnny, please, just hang in there with me, we're almost there."

-0-

Back at the hospital Dr. Brackett and Dr. Morton had taken turns changing into surgical scrubs and Dr. Brackett was now standing in the communications booth holding onto the outside line. The hospital switchboard had connected him to County Animal Control and now he was waiting for the county Animal Control to connect him to the home of their Veterinarian, Dr. Coolidge.

Dr. Brackett jumped into action as soon as he heard the sleepy 'hello'. "Dr. Coolidge, this is Dr. Brackett from Rampart General Hospital; I have a situation here that I need your advice on."

"Did you say Rampart General Hospital? They treat people there don't they?" Dr. Coolidge mumbled as he finished waking up.

"In most cases, yes." Kell took a deep breath and recognized the signs of a man who needed just a moment to get his brain working.

"So why are you calling me; I'm an animal doctor?"

"I've got a situation coming in that I need your advice on. One of my paramedics was attacked by a porcupine. What can you tell me about the quills?"

"That you don't want them poking into you if you have any choice in the matter." Dr. Coolidge did sound like he was more awake now but he still didn't seem to understand what he had to offer the leading Emergency Medicine specialist in the area. "They're painful but there are no poisons involved. Their composition is the same as fingernails and they have a bit of a barb on the end so you might want to use a local anesthetic before you pull them out, unless you have a whole bunch of 'em then you'll want to consider a general." Dr. Coolidge let out a yawn and Kell was sure he was sitting himself up in his bed as he thought of what else to tell him.

"Use a pair of broad tipped pliers, nothing small like tweezers or hemostats, and get a good grip on the quill before you pull, but be careful, except for a solid tip the things are hollow. You don't want to smash it or break it off, and then you'll have to go in and cut it out. Best to make sure you're pulling straight back and keep the tension steady while you pull."

Brackett was listening intently and thinking about what was being said as he contemplated treating his worrisome patient.

"We have some information that body heat causes them to swell and pull deeper into the skin. Is that true and how fast will that happen?"

"Yeah, yeah they'll migrate deeper over time. How fast depends a lot on where they are and how deep they are to begin with. Can cause a heap of trouble if they get into a major organ. Where about's did this person get hit with 'em?"

"His shoulder and upper chest, in the area of the lungs."

"Yeah, you got a problem there; best pull them out as quickly as you can. After that all you have is a puncture wound but I don't think I need to tell you what to do for that now do I?"

"No, I can deal with a puncture wound, and I think I can deal with a puncture to the chest cavity. So you're telling me to pull back straight against the quill but be careful not to break it off. Is there anything else I should know?"

"I'd just make sure you knew where the porcupine was, you don't want to get any of those things in you while you're taking care of your patient."

"Well fortunately they're not bringing the animal in with the patient." Kell smiled, things did sound a little simpler that he had feared.

"Those quills have been everywhere and into every dirty thing the porcupine has so there's a real danger of infection. You'll have to watch for that. I'd consider putting your patient on a prophylactic round of antibiotics if I were you. How did the guy get hit in the chest?"

"Seems he was crawling through a tunnel in search of a lost boy and came upon a porcupine when he reached the end of the tunnel."

"That explains a few things. Best let you go; sounds like you've got your work cut out for you. Just make sure you get them all. A single porcupine has in the neighborhood of thirty thousand quills on its body; they can be as big as ten inches and as short as an inch, the bigger ones towards the tail and the smaller ones toward the face. Just take your time and make sure you get them all. If you have any more questions, feel free to call me back, I'm awake now. In fact, I'd appreciate it if you'd call me back when you're done and let me know how things went."

Dr. Brackett agreed to give him a call first thing in the morning and stepped out into the nurse's station where Dr. Morton and Dr Smelt, the anesthesiologist, were talking about all the medications Johnny had been given earlier during his treatment for smoke inhalation after the retirement center fire.

He wondered how it always managed to amaze him that John Gage could make their job more complicated.

-0-

In the ambulance John's panic filled eyes were locked on Roy's. He knew what he was saying was true, John knew that if the roles were reversed he would be just as insistent that his patient remain as calm as possible. Still, knowing he should remain as calm as possible and doing it with an, as of yet uncounted number of darts working their way closer to his lungs, was another story all together.

Seeing that John's eyes were locked on his, Roy continued to talk calmly and encourage John to slow his breathing down. "We're just about there," Roy continued to talk. "The doctors are ready for you; they'll take care of this as quickly as possible."

"Morton doesn't know what to do," John's panic was still present as he reached up and took a hold of Roy's arm with his left hand and fought not to take another deep breath.

Roy reached up and placed his hand over the one that John had holding his arm and gave a squeeze. "You know as well as I do that he and Dr. Brackett have spent the time we're transporting to find out what to do. They're ready for you, Johnny."

"I can see the lights of the hospital now." The driver called back over his shoulder as he continued to drive. He was well aware of the urgency here and had worked with the paramedics enough to think of them as friends.

For the remainder of the ride in Roy held John's hand and kept his attention locked on him as he continued to talk calmingly and coach his breathing. Roy knew without a doubt that was much more important than listening to his lungs one more time.

When they arrived John was quickly lifted down from the back of the ambulance. Dr. Brackett, Dr. Morton and Dr. Smelt were waiting for him.

"How are you feeling, Johnny?" Dr. Brackett asked as Dr. Morton placed the bell of his stethoscope against John's chest wall.

"When did you eat last?" Dr. Smelt had other issues to deal with and they did it as the gurney was moved into treatment room one.

"Where's x-ray?" Dr. Morton yelled as John was slid over to the treatment table.

"We're not going to worry about that yet, let's just get these things out of him before they go any deeper and then we'll get an x-ray.

The boy in the back of the ambulance was greeted by his own contingent, a doctor from Pediatrics that specialized in child abuse cases and a social worker from the county were waiting and took over as soon as the boy was through the doors. Roy gave a quick report and then moved to join his partner. When he opened the door to the treatment room he saw Dr. Smelt setting up a piggyback to John's IV that he knew was an anesthetic and then he injected a predrawn syringe into the next IV port.

The nurse had already undone John's belt and pants and was pulling them off from under a warmed blanket that was draped over the lower part of John's body. Roy already knew that his t-shirt would be cut away after they removed at least most of the quills that had penetrated through it. Roy backed out of the treatment room and let the staff there continue to work on his friend and partner.

-0-

John felt the effects of the drugs being introduced through his veins and felt even more panicked. "Just pull, don't cut. . . me open." He mumbled as he lost his last hold on consciousness.

The last thing he remembered was a hand being placed on the back of his neck lifting to establish a proper airway and then a mask being placed over his mouth and nose. The air was cool and the words he would never remember were comforting and then he was out.

"All right," Dr. Brackett stepped up as soon as he had his gloves on, "I was told to take a firm hold and pull straight back. But be careful not to crush or break off the quills.

As Dr. Brackett stood with pliers in his hand trying to choose which projectile to remove first Dr. Morton across the table from him was pouring the orange disinfectant Betadine over and around the quills saturating John's t-shirt. With a nod from Dr. Smelt, Dr. Brackett took hold of his first quill and with great anticipation pulled fast and hard.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: Sorry about the delay in getting this chapter out. Husband falled down and goed boom, he getted an owwie and needed my undivided attention for a few days. But don't worry He'll live. Maybe. If he keeps whining I just might have to put him out of his misery or at least mine.

**Chapter 5**

The fingers running through his hair felt seductive and exciting. John was sure the lady at his side was trying to wake him up but he had just as clearly been in a deep sleep and it was going to take a minute. Where was he and who was it that was running their fingers through his hair? Anna, it must be Anna, he felt warm all over and there was a bright light penetrating through his closed eyelids. Did he finally find a time when both of them were off so he could take her to the beach?

Then he felt the hands going across his chest, no it must be Sarah, better make sure who it is before I say anything. John worked to wake up a little more before he tried to open his eyes. As he did so he was aware of someone running their hands across his chest and someone running their fingers through his hair.

'Sarah and Anna,' John quickly concluded then questioned his conclusion. 'When did those two meet each other?'

There was the sensation of something growing tighter on his upper left arm, his head was gently turned to the side, "here's another one," John heard a completely male voice announce,  
>'No, not Sarah nor Anna'.<p>

There was a slight poke at the side of his head and John winced.

"Gage, are you back with us?" the voice asking him was definitely Dr. Morton and John also realized that the hands applying tape to his chest were covered with rubber gloves.

"Getting there," John slurred out slowly as he allowed his head to be moved as it needed to be. As his head was moved he felt the pull of the oxygen tubing in his nose. John responded by taking a deep breath and was relieved not to feel pain in his chest.

"Ouch," Dr. Morton groaned, "I got one of those things in my hand."

"It looks like there's a whole bunch of those spines in his hair. I think we should use a comb to try and get the rest of these out of his hair." This voice was less familiar but as Johnny concentrated on it he knew it was the voice of Dr. Smelt the anesthesiologist. "Do you need some help pulling that thing out of your hand?"

"No I've just helped pull over a hundred of these things out of him; I think I can handle it," Dr. Morton responded as John worked to get his eyes open.

"Mike, don't do that." John heard Dr. Brackett's voice from the other side of the room. This was followed by the sensation of someone moving around his bed, "You have to make sure you pull them straight or you can break them off."

"Ouch! That smarts. I think it's a good thing we put him out with all the ones he had in him."

John then felt the cold bell of a stethoscope placed next to his bare chest, "Can you take a deep breath for me, Johnny?" Dr. Brackett requested. Johnny complied.

"Are you in any pain?"

John moistened his lips with his tongue as he tried to assess his body. He felt a comb being run through his hair and could hear the soft sounds of several things dropping into the disposable cover under his head.

"Johnny, are you in any pain?" Dr. Brackett repeated his question.

"Um, no, I don't think so." Johnny took another deep breath and remembered the porcupine quills that had been imbedded in his chest. He fought harder to get his eyes opened and even before he was able to focus his vision he was directing his gaze at his chest and right shoulder. When his eyes came into focus he saw a six inch piece of clear plastic taped to his chest on three sides, the treatment for a sucking chest wound.

"How bad?" Johnny managed to get out as he turned his head back to Dr. Brackett.

Dr. Brackett placed his hand on the bed near Johnny's head and leaned over so that the two of them were face to face.

"X-rays show a slight pneumothorax. It's nothing to be alarmed about at this point but we'll be keeping an eye on it for the next few hours.

Johnny moved his right arm in an attempt to get a better look at himself. He was covered in orange disinfectant and the drip patterns told the story of it just being poured over him. "How many of those things got into my lung?"

"Well, we're pretty sure none of them made it as far as the lung but we think at least four, possibly more, of the quills pierced the plural lining around the lungs.

The cover under his head was folded up around his face and John was able to lift his own head enough for it to be pulled out from under him. He turned to the side and watched as the doctor who was standing above his head formed a funnel with the paper and directed several spines about an inch in length into a metal basin on the table next to him.

"Let's get him an observation room and I want the chest x-ray repeated in four hours," Dr. Brackett instructed.

"Yes, Doctor," the nurse responded and then left the room.

John felt the vibrations of the bed beneath him as the head rose slightly; he then turned his still groggy attention back to Dr. Brackett.

"There's a bunch of firemen waiting to hear how you came out. I think I'll leave you in the capable hands of Doctors Morton and Smelt here and go fill them in. Do you think you'll be up to some visitors in a few minutes?"

Johnny gave one of his classic crooked grins along with an affirmative nod of his head before turning back to the chore of waking up.

As Kell moved toward the door Dr. Morton got his attention. "What do you want to do with all of these porcupine quills?"

"To start with, let's run some of them through some culture medium and see what grows, especially those bigger ones that we pulled out of his chest. I'd like a heads up as to what antibiotics to start if any of those puncture wounds get infected."

"That's a good idea," Mike tilted his head and felt slightly ashamed that he hadn't thought of it first.

"When you're done with them, I'd like to have them," Johnny spoke up and the three doctors in the room each gave him a strange look.

"If you want 'em, Johnny, you can have 'em, but I don't give warrantees. Once I take them out I don't want to see them embedded in you or anyone else again, got it?

"Don't worry, doc, I'll be careful with 'em."

"Somehow, I'm sure DeSoto's kids would love to take them to school for show and tell." Mike giggled as he applied a Band-Aid to his hand. "You better figure out a way to make them safe so they or their classmates don't get them stuck in their skin."

Johnny gave the doctor a groggy stare and it was clear he hadn't previously thought of what was being suggested.

John drifted off to sleep again to be awakened when he was moved over to another gurney to be moved to the hospital room he was going to be in at least for the rest of the night. Dr. Morton had said John Gage was staying in the hospital until he could convince him that his luck had changed for the better.

Johnny was helped into a pair of hospital issued pajama bottoms but his chest was left bare so that they could watch the puncture wounds that weren't bandaged and keep an eye on his bandaging. He was just starting to drift off to the residual effects of the anesthesia combined with the exhaustion of the long shift when the door opened and in walked his five crewmates.

"You up to a quick visit?" Cap started off.

"Hi, guys come on in, come on in." John waved them in using his right arm to show that it was doing just fine.

They all quickly noticed John's chest, covered in orange disinfectant and Roy was quick to pick up on the bandage that was only taped down on three sides but none of them could refute that John looked good. His color was good, except for his chest, and he was smiling at them.

"How's our human pin cushion doing?" Marco asked with a smile thinking he had beat Chet to the punch line.

"Well punctuated, but now unpinned," John answered. "I think I'm glad they knocked me out before they pulled all of the quills out."

"I hate to break it to you Gage but the animal control officer informed us that the lady chose one of her other suitors." Chet managed to keep from being outdone.

John laughed hard enough that it took him a minute to respond. "That's alright; once I got to know her a little I realized she was a little too prickly for my liking."

"Sounds to me like you got the point," Mike added to the chatter and even though Mike thought his words were slightly lame they all laughed.

"How did the kid come out?" Johnny asked when he was finally able to stop laughing.

"A pediatrician with expertise in child abuse situations and a social worker were waiting for him when we got here, Once I gave report on what happened during transport, they took over and whisked him off to a treatment room leaving me behind. I can't tell you much more than that right now."

"Well I can tell you that his parents aren't going to be in to see him any time soon." Cap picked up the conversation. "I watched police cuff them and read them their rights before they hauled them off to Jail. That step father was a real piece of work, he kept screaming that he had a right to discipline his kid as he saw fit. It took four police officers to get him into the back of the black and white. I overheard a couple of things the two sergeants were saying and the word kidnapping came up."

"I hope that means he'll never have to go back to that home," John exclaimed as he let out a deep sigh and moved his slightly stiff right shoulder.

"We can hope," Cap betrayed his lack of faith in the system.

The men were noticing how tired Johnny was and were feeling some of the same fatigue themselves so they started to say their good-byes. That's when a nurse came in with a tall slender specimen jar.

"Dr. Morton said you wanted these for a souvenir," the nurse said and everyone knew instantly what was in the jar.

"Hey Gage, is it okay if I take one out and look at it real close like?" Chet asked as he reached for the jar before John was able to answer.

"Just be careful you don't-

"AAHggg!"


	6. Chapter 6

Sorry it took so long but here is the final chapter.

**Chapter 6**

"OWW, AHH, OOH, OUCH, OUCH, OUCH, GEESE, OUCH OOH." Chet danced around in circles shaking his hand.

"CHET, YOU TWIT!"

"I'll go get a nurse," Marco offered.

Soon Chet felt two hands clamped on his arm holding his hand still and felt ashamed of his behavior as soon as he realized they were John's hands.

"Chet, John didn't carry on a tenth as bad as you are and he had over a hundred of those things in him." Cap gave words to Chet's embarrassment.

"Yeah, but he had 'em in his shoulder, you feel it more in your hand," Chet whined defensively.

Just then the door to the room opened once again and Dr. Brackett walked in ahead of Marco.

"Johnny, you promised to be careful with those things if we let you have them. I've already taken them out once."

"You're forgetting the one you pulled out of Dr. Morton's hand," Johnny reminded the good doctor. "And besides, I was being careful, Chet here's the one who got careless."

By this time Johnny had been able to get a good look at the situation. The quill was embedded in the web of skin between Chet's thumb and forefinger, and either originally or due to all the shaking and dancing he did, it was all the way through.

Without discussion John released Chet's arm with one of his hands and pulled the bandage scissors from Roy's belt pouch.

Using the scissors that were designed to cut through heavy coats and the seams on jeans Johnny clipped the barbed tip off of the quill.

"YEOWWW!" while Chet was trying to keep the doctor from taking a look at his hand Johnny gave a swift pull.

"Gage, you're supposed to let the doctor take things like that out," Chet screamed just a little too loudly for being in a hospital at eleven thirty at night. "That way he could numb it good before he pulled it out."

While Chet was yelling at Johnny, Dr. Brackett managed to get a hold of his hand and pull it where he could get a good look at the damage. "Well, no harm done, we wouldn't have numbed it for a single barb anyway, we'd have to stick you with a needle so we would just get it over with the same way Johnny here did."

"I would recommend that you scrub the area good with some disinfectant soap, though, and then I'll have the nurse put some salve on it and bandage it for you. We've just finished some gram stains from the ones we took out of Johnny and believe me these things are far from sterile." Dr. Brackett started to guide Chet to where he could wash up like he was being instructed to do but before he left the room he turned back to the group gathered in the room. "Roy would you get your partner back in bed, Johnny, I'm going to have the nurses start you on some IV antibiotics to get a jump on all the nasty little things that were carried on those barbs. Oh and while we're at it, lets send those barb things through the autoclave before someone else gets poked with them."

Roy did as he was told with a smile on his face as he pulled the covers up to just below the bandage on Johnny's chest.

"Well, John, I think we better go before we wake up the whole hospital." Hank gave his paramedic a slap on his leg as he ushered his men out. "You take care of yourself and let us know when the doc is going to let you out of here. One of us will come give you a ride home."

"Thanks, Cap."

Roy stayed behind to see to it that Johnny was situated and had a fresh pitcher of water. When he left the nurse was coming in with the antibiotic to piggy back into Johnny's IV and as she hung the bag of fluid next to the existing IV a tired Johnny gave a wave to his partner. "Don't do anything I wouldn't."

"That doesn't rule out anything," Roy smirked and went to find out who his partner was going to be for the rest of his shift.

By the time Chet was done in the ER his entire hand was as orange as Johnny's chest and heavily bandaged. To say the bandage was overkill seemed obvious but Dr. Morton explained that nothing else would stay in place on that part of the hand and he wanted to make sure it stayed well covered for the rest of his shift.

Back at the station, Dwyer was waiting in his night turn outs when Roy backed into the station. Roy opened the squad door and turned in his seat to face his temporary partner.

"What did Johnny do this time?" Dwyer asked shaking his head with a smile.

"He tangled with a porcupine," Roy answered leaning his elbow on the steering wheel before pushing himself to his feet.

Dwyer was surprised by what Roy had said but he was just as tired as the rest of the group so after reporting to the captain he agreed to call it a night and let any further discussion take place in the morning after wake up tones.

The Squad was called out just prior to the wake up tones going off. It turned out to be a chronically ill patient who was experiencing some respiratory distress. The patient's doctor was waiting for them when they arrived and they were quickly dismissed since the doctor was not familiar with the paramedic program and felt he had everything under control.

As the door to the treatment room was shut in his face Roy turned to see Dwyer right there behind him.

"Well." Tom looked at the closed door and let out a breath to release the adrenalin he had built up. "What do you say we stop in and check on Gage?"

Roy quickly agreed and the two men were walking toward the nearest elevator. "So, now that I'm awake for the day, what happened to Gage?"

"He was crawling through a pipe that only he could fit in, trying to find a kid who had run away from an abusive step father. . . " Roy began to tell the story while they waited for the elevator to arrive and continued once they stepped on. " Anyway we weren't worried in the least and thought Morton was going overboard with the IV. We were walking out when Dispatch came over the handy talkies and told us to contact rampart again. Seems porcupine quills swell when affected by body heat and the swelling pulls them deeper into the tissues, and John had thirty plus of those things moving into his lung."

"Wow," Dryer responded as they exited the elevator on the third floor. "I bet that was a wild ride in the ambulance."

"We had our moments but I was able to keep him focused on me and we got here in good time. Brackett and Morton had him under before I could turn the kid over to the specialist."

"So how bad was the pneumo?"

"Real slight, Brackett figured it would take care of itself once the quills were removed, if everything looks good this morning they're going to let him go home. If all goes well he should be back after next shift."

"That doesn't sound all that bad."

As they came close to Johnny's room Dr. Early stepped out into the hall and took a moment to write on the patient chart in his hands.

"Are you here to see Johnny?" Dr. Early asked as the two paramedics came closer.

Roy picked up on the look on Dr. Early's face quickly, "Is something wrong with Johnny?"

Dr. Early shook his head; this was one more example why he should never take up poker. "John spiked a temp early this morning. Nothing too serious just 102 but under the circumstances we jumped on things and have been watching him close. Kell had already started him on antibiotics based on the gram stains from those porcupine probes he was impaled with." Dr. Early paused and looked at the report in the file again. Shaking his head he looked back at Roy. "Those things were far from sterile. Anyway, I don't think it's anything real serious, he's responding well to the treatment, His temperature broke about half an hour ago and he's sleeping comfortably right now. I think it's in his best interest to let him continue, I'm just about to have the nurses hold his breakfast until he wakes."

Roy nod his head in agreement with the good doctor. "Can I just look in on him? I promise I won't wake him."

Dr. Early agreed and Roy stepped up to the door and opened it. There he stood in the door way watching his partner breathe, he was still bare from the waist up but the blankets had been pulled up a little farther on his body than they had been the night before. He had good color, he looked calm, and on the over the bed table was a specimen bottle marked with tape to show that its contents had been sterilized. Roy smiled and pulled the door shut once again and looked at Dr. Early with a smile.

"Um, about the infection," Roy got Dr. Early's attention, "Chet got one of those things in his hand, should we be worried about that? I only ask because it's so heavily bandaged since he was on duty that I'm wondering if I should take the bandage off and have a good look at it before he goes home."

"Dr. Morton got stuck with one of those things too; his hand is starting to show some signs of an infection. We've treated it with an antibiotic salve for now. As far as Chet goes I'd recommend he come in and have it evaluated again once he's off shift. Then we can treat him if need be. According to Kell they did disinfect the wound and treat it with an antibiotic salve before they bandaged it last night."

"Yeah, you're right, Doc, I was just being worried I guess," Roy responded feeling assured that precautions had been taken.

Roy returned to the station and reported on the newest development with Johnny, It was decided as a group that they would all go home and get some sleep and wait to visit with Johnny later that afternoon. Chet, however, was ordered by Captain Stanley to stop by the Emergency Room on his way home to have his hand looked at.

It was just after lunch when Roy found his way to the hospital ahead of the rest of the crew. He found Johnny sitting on the side of his bed looking out the window and rotating his right shoulder and arm. Roy was quick to notice that he had full and easy range of motion and seemed a little restless.

"Hi," Roy made his presence known, "how you feeling?"

"Good, good," Johnny answered then leaned back in the bed and threw his feet up over onto the other side of the bed before he sat up again facing Roy.

"Well, if that move is any representation of your recovery, you should be out of here real soon."

"Brackett said I can go home in the morning," Johnny was quick to report. "He wants me to have two more doses of the IV antibiotic and then he'll change it to some pills. I have to take the next shift off because of the pneumothorax, but then I'll be right back in the squad with you on the next shift." Johnny was happy and his usual high strung self. He was still bare from the waist up and had a bandage on his upper chest but there was evidence that he had had a shower since the orange disinfectant on his skin was several shades lighter than it had been when Roy had seen him last.

"Well, that sounds like good news," a voice came from the doorway as John and Roy looked up to see Captain Stanley standing in the doorway with Mike silently in the rear.

"Hi, Cap," Johnny greeted with a well rested smile.

The four men visited for a while and shared the happenings since they last met, the topic of who was going to give Johnny a ride home from the hospital was being discussed when the next two visitors entered the room. Chet was sporting a new bandage and a deeper color of orange disinfectant but he reported that all was well and that he should be able to take the bandage off and leave it off before his next shift.

It was Chet who noticed the special tape on the quills and Johnny was quick to pull the bottle away and stuff it in a drawer. "No, Chet, you can't play with my porcupine quills, they're dangerous to people like you."

Everyone was laughing at Chet's pout when there was a knock at the door.

Everyone looked up to see a man dressed in an army uniform standing in the doorway.

"Excuse me, I was told I could find a man by the name of John Gage in this room."

"I'm John Gage," Johnny responded wondering what his newest guest wanted.

"My name is Ryan Mitchell Dilworth Sr. It was my son, Ryan Jr. you were trying to rescue when you were injured."

"Oh yes, how is he doing?" Johnny was quick to respond, then he added, "These are my fellow crewmates, we all worked together to get Ryan out of that septic tank."

The man looked at each man in the room before taking a deep breath and offering an emotional, "Thank you".

"Ryan is going to be fine, his injuries, though extensive, are little more than bruises and a few cuts that he should heal from quickly. Right now I just hope he will heal emotionally just as easily.

"Ryan's mother was killed by a drunk driver when Ryan was a year old. Her sister was a godsend at the time helping with Ryan; I even left him with her while I did a tour of duty overseas. Three months ago I was assigned to serve the next two years and probably the remainder of my military career in Germany. I planned to take Ryan with me. I thought it would be a good experience for him and that when my time was up we'd tour Europe before coming back to the US.

"Janine, my wife's sister, didn't want me to take him with me. I guess he had come to think of him as her own son. So while I was at a one week orientation in DC she took him and left the state.

The man in the uniform hung his head to hide his emotions before shaking his head and proclaiming, "I can't believe what she let that man do to him just to keep my son away from me."

"I really wanted to tell you thank you for all that you've done for my son. I really appreciate that you took such good care of him and were so supportive of him as you carried him out of that canyon."

"We were just doing our job." Captain Stanley stepped forward with an extended hand. As the two men shook hands Cap added, "I'm glad to hear that your son won't be going back to that home."

"NO, he most definitely won't be going back to that house or those people. If I have my way they will never see him again," Ryan Sr. confirmed, after shaking hands with all of the men and thanking them personally he turned and left and all of the men felt better.

-0-

Several days later Johnny was standing at the front of a class of fourth graders telling them about porcupines as a large test tube with a rubber stopper in the top of it was being passed around the room. One of the largest of the quills was safely inside where the students could look at it carefully without risk of getting poked by it.

Back in Johnny's apartment were the beginnings of some very delicate jewelry made of porcupine quills and bright colored beads that he intended to use as Christmas gifts for JoAnne DeSoto and her daughter Jenny and his good friend Dixie McCall.

"Uncle Johnny, tell us about the person you rescued when you got poked by the porcupine."

"I can't do that Chris." Johnny pulled the excited young boy back in line. "I have to keep the person's identity and information confidential. All I can tell you is that everyone involved is going to be fine."

Author's Note: Wow, I really don't know where the time went, things are doing well here at home, it just started with a surprise visit from a friend I hadn't seen in a while and the call for help from a neighbor then one thing after another and before I knew it the next time I sat down at the computer it had been several days.

I needed to start some music to get my creative juices going and before I knew it I had multiple chapters flowing from all of the corners of my mind, for another story not the one I was writing. Now that I have finished 'Punctuated,' I'm going to be taking a break from Fan Fiction. I believe it's time to write about the further adventures of SHAR, (short for Spring Hope Annetta Rose) Nicholson and her side kick JAX, (Short for JacqueLynnette) Donaldsfield, AKA JD. Two characters from my most recently published E-book, titled, Silent Resolve.

If anyone is interested in checking them out it can be found through Barnes and Noble, Apple's I book store and LULU. Those who don't already have an account at one of the before mentioned locations can just type the name of the company followed by dot com and search for the Title 'Silent Resolve' to find it.

I really appreciate the support and reviews that I have received on Fan Fiction and look forward to coming back to do a few more stories once I've finished this next novel. Thanks to you all. I hope to find some exciting stories on Fan Fiction whenever I need a bit of a break so please keep writing.


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